Multiple Russian Tu-95 bombers burning a massive Ukrainian FPV drone strike

[Oldcarpy2]

https://www.thebarentsobserver.com/secur...ine/420634

Occasional sorties?

"Almost all Tu-95MS bombers from Olenya took part in Sunday morning attack on Ukraine"

Yep.  Nothing to see here.  Move on.

The START Treaty was between the US and the then Soviet Union.

Ukraine was not a signatory.

[BeyondKnowledge]

As far as I have been able to figure they hit no more than 8 planes and only a couple were actually destroyed completely. They may occasionally still fly sorties in uncontested airspace launching cruise missiles, but even then it seems few and far between from my reading. They just have many more newer air frames which can also do that job that can get closer and are more survivable than these old bombers. They really aren't doing any actual bombing in Ukraine. Another interesting aspect to this strike is that under the START treaty these types of tactical assets must be parked outside and all participants agree not to target these assets in return for the ability to keep tabs by satellite. If it comes out that the US had a hand in this it would be a pretty major violation of that treaty. If they've been planning this for 18 months there is no way the US didn't know about it...we are basically running things behind the scenes over there...obviously in a very deniable way.

My opinion after keeping tabs on the info surrounding this strike over the last couple days is that Ukraine wasted a significant capability Russia was not suspecting for a strike that did nothing but make a headline for the propaganda mills. There had to be better targets for these drones to hit that would actually make an impact on the fight at hand.

Eighteen months you say. That means the Biden administration was involved in it if the US president knew. But they might have not told Trump.

That shows the democrats like this war and wanted it to continue. But the election destroyed their plans for continuing profits for themselves.

[RickyD]

https://www.thebarentsobserver.com/secur...ine/420634

Occasional sorties?

"Almost all Tu-95MS bombers from Olenya took part in Sunday morning attack on Ukraine"

Yep.  Nothing to see here.  Move on.

The START Treaty was between the US and the then Soviet Union.

Ukraine was not a signatory.

Well I guess firstly the site you linked has no source for the report that 10 of those old not even fully updated Tu-95s actually did anything. Maybe I missed their source but it sure seems like a case if it happened because we said it did.

Second I did preface my comments with the treaty being between the US and Russia...but we all know the US and the west in general is carrying the bulk of the weight of the intel Ukraine uses to target Russia, especially deep into Russia. That's why I brought up the treaty in the first place...so yes while it is "Ukraine" doing the strike...I am pretty sure the US was involved in the planning and intel that made it possible which is a violation of said treaty. Obviously the US would take steps to ensure they can't be blaimed and have deniability...it would be very dumb not to considering the situation.

The START treaty is still in effect too in case you thought just because they are Russia now and not the USSR that nullified anything. Otherwise those bombers wouldn't just be hanging out en mass like that.

[Oldcarpy2]

"The START treaty is still in effect too in case you thought just because they are Russia now and not the USSR that nullified anything. Otherwise those bombers wouldn't just be hanging out en mass like that."

No, I didn't think that, at all.

"Well I guess firstly the site you linked has no source for the report that 10 of those old not even fully updated Tu-95s actually did anything. Maybe I missed their source but it sure seems like a case if it happened because we said it did."

OK.

TU 95s are totally not bombing the shit out of Ukraine..

Carry on with the Putin apologetics and belittling of Ukraine.

[Inspector44]

As far as I have been able to figure they hit no more than 8 planes and only a couple were actually destroyed completely. They may occasionally still fly sorties in uncontested airspace launching cruise missiles, but even then it seems few and far between from my reading. They just have many more newer air frames which can also do that job that can get closer and are more survivable than these old bombers. They really aren't doing any actual bombing in Ukraine. Another interesting aspect to this strike is that under the START treaty these types of tactical assets must be parked outside and all participants agree not to target these assets in return for the ability to keep tabs by satellite. If it comes out that the US had a hand in this it would be a pretty major violation of that treaty. If they've been planning this for 18 months there is no way the US didn't know about it...we are basically running things behind the scenes over there...obviously in a very deniable way.

My opinion after keeping tabs on the info surrounding this strike over the last couple days is that Ukraine wasted a significant capability Russia was not suspecting for a strike that did nothing but make a headline for the propaganda mills. There had to be better targets for these drones to hit that would actually make an impact on the fight at hand.

Zelenskyy bragged that this operation was carried out without any foreign knowledge or involvement. Based on the daft execution, I imagine he's telling the truth. Like you said The US and Russia have an agreement to leave the bombers out and to only have a certain amount operational. Its why we have a bunch of B-52Gs sitting in the desert, instead of having a whole fleet of over 200 B-52Hs. Despite the comments from the peanut gallery, very few Bear bombers are functional despite what Wikipedia says.

[Oldcarpy2]

"Eighteen months you say. That means the Biden administration was involved in it if the US president knew. But they might have not told Trump.

That shows the democrats like this war and wanted it to continue. But the election destroyed their plans for continuing profits for themselves."

Ah, those evil Dems?

[Oldcarpy2]

"Despite the comments from the peanut gallery, very few Bear bombers are functional despite what Wikipedia says."

It wasn't Wikipedia.

Post your "expert" evidence about these non functional  Bears?

"Peanut gallery"?

Charming.

[RickyD]

Best I could find is they have been used a handful of times to launch CMs at Ukraine in the last few years. They really only saw heavy use in the initial invasion. The only public sourcing of their use was from Ukraine's AF saying they did which is at least a source but one I don't put much weight in.

Either way there had to be more impactful targets to use such a clever strike on. Now the cats out of the bag and the damage done seems pretty minimal for an 18 month operation.

[Inspector44]

"Despite the comments from the peanut gallery, very few Bear bombers are functional despite what Wikipedia says."

It wasn't Wikipedia.

Post your "expert" evidence about these non functional  Bears?

"Peanut gallery"?

Charming.

You are not a subject matter expert and I don't take orders from you.

[Oldcarpy2]

"Best I could find is they have been used a handful of times to launch CMs at Ukraine in the last few years. They really only saw heavy use in the initial invasion. The only public sourcing of their use was from Ukraine's AF saying they did which is at least a source but one I don't put much weight in.

Either way there had to be more impactful targets to use such a clever strike on. Now the cats out of the bag and the damage done seems pretty minimal for an 18 month operation."

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/t...re-212030/

A handful of times?

Any source for that?

55 are (or were) operational.